Jobs

Posted 18 February 2010

Library Director
Lewistown Public Library

Deadline: 'open until filled'

Accountable To: Library Board of Trustees and City Manager

Summary of Work: This position requires a leadership and customer service-oriented librarian to direct all programs, activities, volunteers, and personnel of the library to provide city and county residents with library materials and services to meet their needs. The library director manages and maintains the library facilities.

Job Characteristics

Nature of Work

This position performs administrative, supervisory, and professional duties requiring adherence to library standards, as well as adhering to standards of accuracy, timeliness, tact, and confidentiality. This position works a varying work-schedule, to include evenings and weekends. Position requires some travel for meetings and workshops. Consequence of errors may result in dissatisfied library users, employees, board members, city and county officials and possibly a reduction in revenue for the library and dismissal.

Has continual contact with the staff, volunteers, and the public. Routine contact with the Board, the Friends of the Library, the Central Montana Genealogy Society, city and county officials, and other librarians.

Supervision Received: Direction from the Board of Trustees.

Supervision Exercised: Supervises the library staff including volunteers. Recommends hiring, assigns and disciplines all employees and volunteers in the library. Trains and evaluates all library employees and volunteers.

Position requires leadership and direction of all library functions, ability to plan, implement and evaluate services, coordinate activities, events, and programs, communicate orally and in writing, read written materials, calculate mathematical figures, maintain files, train staff and volunteers, automate library functions, and operate library machines and equipment, automation systems and electronic databases.

Areas of Accountability and Performance.

Organizes and directs all library activities according to the Library Policies to aid the education and recreation of all people in the community by providing books, materials, programs, and exhibits. Also helps develop the local historical collection.

Advertises for, recommends, assigns and directs the supervision of library employees and volunteers to assure the most efficient use of their time to provide the best service for library users by observing and evaluating employees according to their position description and library users comments.

Prepares, justifies, and follows a budget set by the library board, County and City commissioners, accounting for all money requested and received following the budgeting, accounting, and reporting system of the City Clerk and Montana State Library.

Attends Library Board meetings to suggest, discuss, and promote policies concerning library services, the buildings, equipment, and employees. Acts as secretary to the Library Board, taking minutes and keeping all records as required.

Promotes library services in the community to expand interest and increase contributions through good public relations with individuals, organizations, and other librarians by answering correspondence, writing press releases for local media, giving talks, conducting tours, attending meetings, and assisting library users and other librarians.

Responsible for managing the activities and staff to achieve a computing environment that serves the libraries’ current needs and ensures the development of new services and resources to meet user and staff needs. Provides leadership in designing, maintaining, and enhancing the libraries’ computing networks and workstations, including the selection of software and equipment for complex systems. Keeps current on new technologies, which may require continuing education and/or certification to operate systems.

Writes grants and coordinates fundraising with Friends of the Library.

Travels out of town and/or attends local meetings of professional groups to keep abreast of current techniques and technical advancements including meetings called by the State Library Staff and other library associations.

Provides system administration services for the area network of libraries. This position maintains the online catalog and automation system to perform at optimum level, making certain the Lewistown Library remains as the central site to the network. Plans and organizes training for libraries in the network, recommends policies, continues to work to expand the network, troubleshoots systems, administers installation of upgrades, recommends purchases and implements equipment and software that would improve the system and online catalog.

Advocates library services and access to information locally and statewide.

Job Requirements

 Knowledge

Considerable  and thorough knowledge of general library practices and procedures, cataloging, reference, research, and bibliographic tools and techniques. Knowledge and experience in technology services. Knowledge over time of the people of the community, their occupations, culture, lifestyles, and interests.

Managerial: Competency to develop clear and appropriate objectives, plans and procedures in response to program directives. Competency to use information to evaluate alternatives and select the most appropriate decision.

Competency to keep activities organized and operating efficiently.

Financial: Ability to present budgetary and financial information in an organized and understandable manner. Ability to read and understand computer produced accounting statements. Capacity to monitor financial accounts, identify expenditure patterns and take or recommend corrective action.

Interpersonal: Capacity to understand and be sensitive to the needs of individuals. Interact with others in ways which strengthen and build good relations. Ability to supervise professional, technical, and clerical staff.

Communication: Excellent ability to write effectively in a clear, readable manner with appropriate style, format, organization, and grammar. Excellent ability to speak and listen effectively in one-to-one or group/public situations.

Masters in Library or Information Science degree or equivalent Masters Degree supplemented by course work in library science, literature, or equivalent work experience. Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent, with some course work in library science, five years progressively responsible work experience in a library environment, including one year administrative or supervisory experience. Must earn and maintain State Library Certification. Must have a valid Montana Operator’s license. Salary commensurate with combination of Education, Skills, and Experience.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to walk, sit, talk, and hear. The employee is occasionally required to use hands to finger, handle, feel, or operate objects, tools, or controls, and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Must be able tolerate all types of dust.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distant vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

We are an equal opportunity employer. The Library Director must have the ability to work a varied schedule. Light lifting, stretching, and kneeling will be required while shelving books. Standing at the circulation desk for a period of up to two hors at a time, as well as sitting at a desk for long periods of time is required. The Library Director will work at various hours throughout the month so as to be familiar with all hours of operation. The position requires some travel for meetings and workshops.

Evaluation of this position will be based primarily upon performances of the preceding requirements and duties. Examples of job performance criteria include but are not limited to the following:

• Organizes and directs all library activities
• Oversees collection management
• Hires, supervises and evaluates all library employees including termination of employment when needed
• Prepares and implements scheduling of staff and volunteers to insure maximum hours for library usage
• Prepares, justifies, and follows the budget approved by the Library Board
• Attends all library board meetings serving as the secretary
• Promotes and advertises library services locally and statewide
• Travels to professional meetings that may be sponsored but not limited to Montana State Library, and Montana Library Association
• Supervises maintenance and repairs to the library buildings, grounds, and equipment
• Recommends to the Library Board the purchase of capital outlay items
• Provides professional services to the area network of libraries in the automated circulation and public online catalog

These listed items do not constitute an employment agreement between employer and employee and are subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

Send resume to: carole@symmeswickshouse.com